Chapter 1
The pool shimmered like blue crystals in the sunlight. Marie was fixated by this for a second before she was snatched back into the present with the texture of moist lips against her neck. She brought hands so they were on Mack’s chest and pushed him away slightly so she could pull the grey shirt over his head. He obeyed her, and raised his arms. She pulled the shirt and threw it away, not turning her eyes away to see where it had landed. Marie gazed for a moment, taking in the hard, defined abs, and reached to feel it. To feel his skin, sweat and hard and rough and the tips of her fingers.
Mack rested his chin in the hole of Marie’s shoulders and breathed on it so that it sent shivers up her spine. He breathed hot air against her neck and teased the skin with his lips, sucking slightly. Marie closed her eyes and leaned her head backwards. She could feel the heat of the sun on her eyelids and savored every sensation, every tingle. Marie allowed her hands to travel up and down Mack’s bare back, and her fingertips caressing gently with barely a touch. Marie could almost feel the hairs on the back of Mack’s neck stand. Marie sensed it was her turn, and let her hands move down Mack’s chest and stomach until she reached the elastic band of his plain grey trousers. Marie kissed Mack and she felt a sudden rush of emotions flooding through her like the wind sweeping her off her feet into the bliss of the sun’s warmth. All the while, Marie teased on the fabric of the elastic and then placed her hand so it was gripping Mack’s penis. She felt the bulge and Mack take a sudden intake of breath and bite her lip. She tasted a bit of blood and the heat of his breath, the sweat and the sun’s rays. They stopped kissing to look at each other. Marie’s eyes met Mack’s and she gave a small nod.
Suddenly, Marie and Mack were locked together, skin on skin, only pulling apart to rip their remaining clothes off themselves. Mack pushed Marie to the ground and Marie dragged him down with her, Mack’s tongue exploring places Marie only dreamt about. He was now along the inside of her thigh and then he put a finger in her clit and began rubbing it. Marie saw swirling colors of sensations and a sound escape her throat in the form of a moan. Mack put to of his fingers in and Marie could feel herself beginning to throb so badly she could feel a scream begin to itch its way out, but Marie caught herself remembering where she was, who she was, Mack was, and why they needed to be careful. Mack pulled up before Marie could come but she decided not to mention it because she couldn’t resist any longer.
Mack grabbed Marie’s hips and she tried to angle herself in a way so Mack could put her penis in her. There was a brief moment of pain but then she was picturing a lone ship on the ocean. She was the ship, Mack the ocean, the ocean forcing the ship to heave up and down, wondering all the while if she might sink.
“Faster,” Marie muttered, and then she could hear Mack mirroring her pants. She closed her eyes again as she felt herself pushing in and out of Mack, thrusting her pelvis into his. She felt close to him but still as if she was a million miles away from him. The ocean, miles deep but still at the surface. A loud moan escaped Mack and Marie muffled it by sticking her tongue down his throat. She could feel herself coming but Mack was already trying to pull away.
“No, wait,” she ordered, and felt herself propelling herself forward. She was swimming up to the surface and then it felt as intoxicating as fresh air once trapped beneath the surface. New life was sucked into her lungs. Mack pulled out and Marie sighed and then they both lay next to each other, but the still shimmering water. They lay naked, bathed in the sun’s beams, both panting, both gleaming of summer sweat.
Marie watched the sun beginning to make it’s descend and then forced herself to her feet. She searched around for her bra and began pulling on her clothes, smoothing the wrinkles, and combing her dark hair back with her fingers. Mack was watching her every step and Marie found herself wondering what he was thinking, but she didn’t ask. “Same time next week,” she said. “I’ll go through the crops. You go the opposite way.”
Mack nodded and rolled back so he was facing the sun. Every inch of his skin exposed. Marie forced herself to stop staring and scolded herself. Not attachments, she told herself, don’t be stupid.
Marie turned to go but Mack said, “Marie?”
Marie turned. “What?” Mack seemed to stare for a second and Marie could feel her nipples tighten underneath his dark gaze. He looked dazzling almost like a greek warrior in the sunlight, dark shadows beneath his high cheekbones.
